In a 2012 blog post, Steven Novella, an academic clinical neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine, compared ASMR to migraine headaches — “We know they exist as a syndrome primarily because many different people report the same constellation of symptoms and natural history,” he wrote — and theorized that ASMR could even be a type of “pleasurable” seizure.
The ASMR Research & Support organization—which is trying to kick-start scientific research on the phenomenon—puts sensation seekers into two categories: Type A is relaxed by their own thoughts, like meditation. The more common Type B relies on something external to stimulate their euphoria, like listening to a pen scratch paper or a whispering voice (the latter is so common that ASMR is sometimes called whisper therapy).
I attribute it to my son in spirit being present. It didn’t happen to me until after he died. I can’t control it and comes at random times, I’m not able to pinpoint it. It comes in every quadrant of my head at various times of the day and some day’s only a few times. Lately it’s often and much stronger. I thought perhaps because we are within several weeks of first anniversary of his death.
Why does this exist? Because some people experience ASMR, aka autonomous sensory meridian response, a condition that means certain sounds cause you to experience a pleasant, tingly feeling on your scalp, or around the top of your spine. Sounds weird, has in fact been around for a while – by late 2016, approximately 5.2 million ASMR videos had been uploaded to YouTube.
The content creators are almost exclusively women, and while a large number of them post captions in Russian, there are women from all around the world posting videos of themselves chewing and swallowing chalk. And it’s not a small genre. The #chalkeating tag on Instagram has over 71,000 posts to date, and similarly, the #chalkasmr tag has over 34,000 posts.
I cannot believe that I just found out about ASMR shivers! I never knew other people experienced this or that it even had a name. I thought it was just something that happened to me when I watched people draw (esp on my arm like as in high school) or some yoga instructors voice would make me feel that way. Also I also watch this one Seinfeld clip on youtube over and over because it would make me feel relaxed and almost in a trance. And I thought it was strange so never told anyone and then I saw someone's comment that they got ASMR shivers from the clip and BAM came upon this site. This is crazy!
Incidentally, I’m now wondering if my embarrassing tendency to well up at almost any expression of art or culture (meaning that I’ve had to perfect a whole range of distraction techniques to prevent my neighbours on the sofa/gallery/theatre/cinema from realising I’m silently blubbing away) is part of this phenomenon. Even a well placed advert, I’m ashamed to say, can set me off. It didn’t occur to me until I found out about the Tingles (sorry, hate the scientised term ASMR) that the tear jerk response might be related to my other sensations. Any thoughts on that, anyone?
Any cursory Googling will bring up videos from the doyenne of ASMR, an Eastern European woman named Maria who goes by the handle GentleWhispering and who constantly sounds like she's on the verge of crying as she attempts to trigger the chills by blowing into a high-tech microphone or folding towels. Her most popular videos have reached over six million views.
Some of the biggest ASMR artists on YouTube—like Gentle Whispering ASMR and Gibi ASMR—have racked up millions of subscribers, with millions of views for some of their videos. These creators are triggering the ASMR experience in countless ways. Sometimes, it's as simple as tapping their fingernails next to their microphone or whispering gently to their camera. Other times, they're roleplaying everyday situations and making them feel far more intimate; for example, a stylist taking your measurements for clothes or a doctor giving you a check-up.
Four months after Novella's blog post, Tom Stafford, a lecturer in psychology and cognitive sciences at the University of Sheffield, was reported to have said that ASMR "might well be a real thing, but it's inherently difficult to research...something like this that you can't see or feel" and "doesn't happen for everyone". Stafford compared the current status of ASMR with development of attitudes toward synesthesia, which he said "for years...was a myth, then in the 1990s people came up with a reliable way of measuring it".[41]
ASMR, or “autonomous sensory meridian response,” is the term for the sensation people get when they watch stimulating videos such as this one. Many people describe the feeling as “tingles” (or “head orgasms“) that run through the back of the head, neck, and, spine. For some, the feeling is deeply relaxing and can even cause them to fall asleep. This is definitely not something I experienced.
You have no idea how happy I was when I found out what ASMR was. I have had the trigger since I was a child and just like this says, I never understood what it was but I liked it. But sometimes bothering me. Like, if I need to focus in school while a teacher is trying to help me, but the sound of them flipping the pages in a book makes me sleepy and lose focus. And when I haven’t had enough sleep I seem to get the trigger from almost everything…
While little scientific research has been conducted into potential neurobiological correlates to the perceptual phenomenon known as 'autonomous sensory meridian response' (ASMR), with a consequent dearth of data with which to either explain or refute its physical nature, there is voluminous anecdotal literature comprising personal commentary and intimate disclosure of subjective experiences distributed across forums, blogs, and YouTube comments by hundreds of thousands of people. Within this literature, in addition to the original consensus that ASMR is euphoric but non-sexual in nature, a further point of continued majority agreement within the community of those who experience it is that they fall into two broad categories of subjects.
Anyway, I have no problem sleeping, ever. I usually have a problem getting to bed, because I fall asleep wherever I’m sitting. My big problem is being intimate. If I’m in the middle of business, and I start thinking about my girlfriend’s body touching parts of the right side of my body, I start getting severe tickles and I’ve tossed her to the side because it’s too much for me. It’s one of those things where you tell yourself not to think about it, but it makes you think about it more. My right knee is the worst part. Anyone comes near that knee, not even touching it – they could just sit next to me, and if their leg touches my knee occasionally – I get tickle fits.
I’m not really sure if I have ASMR or not – I literally discovered it was an actual thing a few minutes ago – but I am very sensitive to sounds. Certain chord progressions or note progressions in songs, and other sounds like people eating watermelon give me the tingling feeling described. But I also get the opposite. For some reason, certain sounds make me feel queasy and sick (like the sound of someone pulling a string through their fingers). Is this ASMR, or related? Or if it’s not, does anyone know what that is?
If the amazing feeling from having someone (or in a lesser way myself) tickle me lightly on my arm or the back of my neck, sort of drag their fingers or fingernails lightly across my arm/neck is ASMR, then yes. I also sometimes shiver and get goosebumps if someone’s brushing/playing with my hair… I don’t know if it’s ASMR though. It seems like just being ticklish, though it’s the most amazing feeling.
I attribute it to my son in spirit being present. It didn’t happen to me until after he died. I can’t control it and comes at random times, I’m not able to pinpoint it. It comes in every quadrant of my head at various times of the day and some day’s only a few times. Lately it’s often and much stronger. I thought perhaps because we are within several weeks of first anniversary of his death.

Looking for Amsers to this riddle for 35 years. I was born in ’72, experienced AMSR since childhood, asked thousands of people through my life, none empathised with me, I thought I was unique or touched in the head. I would activate usually from watching people performing simple tasks, like drawing and conversing while in deep artistic thought (Graffiti Artist since ’85), or watching a Teacher perform a task for the class.

The bizarreness of this footage means ASMR isn’t without controversies. In June 2018, the Chinese government banned ASMR videos, branding them “vulgar” and “pornographic”. In August, PayPal began blocking the accounts of ASMRtists who received money to make custom videos (although the company later denied it has a policy against ASMR content). For those who don’t experience ASMR, the videos can seem fetishistic. Beyond the weirdness of whispering and making “mouth sounds” as in Kelly’s honeycomb video, some people nickname ASMR a “brain orgasm”.

Midwestern kindness runs deep, but throughout the city's neighborhoods, it turns out some residents are more polite than others (or simply complain less). Digital Third Coast, a Chicago-based digital marketing firm, recently analyzed 2018 data of complaints to 311 from the 30 most densely populated neighborhoods. They looked at noise, garbage and dog poop complaints to determine where residents were less than pleased with their surroundings. How did your 'hood fair? Click through to see which 10 city locales yielded the most complaints per capita. (Darcel Rockett)

In the middle of the ASMR spectrum I have all sorts of triggers. A deep male voice reading Holy Scriptures. Definitely not as spiritual a response as the Cantor, but still pleasant, even so. A favorite trigger is good music, either played or sung. Usually it’s a voice that does it for me, more so than instruments. Depending on the type of song, lyrics and the melody/drums, music can trigger a wide range of ASMR types for me. Some are very much at the spiritual end, while others bring back the memory of ASMR events, and the memory itself triggers a mild repeat. Really good foods (eating or even smelling them) can trigger tingles in head and shoulders; while a head, back or foot massage can all be triggers, depending on the skill of the person.

I’m not really sure if I have ASMR or not – I literally discovered it was an actual thing a few minutes ago – but I am very sensitive to sounds. Certain chord progressions or note progressions in songs, and other sounds like people eating watermelon give me the tingling feeling described. But I also get the opposite. For some reason, certain sounds make me feel queasy and sick (like the sound of someone pulling a string through their fingers). Is this ASMR, or related? Or if it’s not, does anyone know what that is?
I’m not really sure if I have ASMR or not – I literally discovered it was an actual thing a few minutes ago – but I am very sensitive to sounds. Certain chord progressions or note progressions in songs, and other sounds like people eating watermelon give me the tingling feeling described. But I also get the opposite. For some reason, certain sounds make me feel queasy and sick (like the sound of someone pulling a string through their fingers). Is this ASMR, or related? Or if it’s not, does anyone know what that is?
Hearing a bedtime story may still lull you to sleep, but it might help more if the reader whispers it. Or if they gently tap their foot, or just shuffle papers around for a few minutes. Confused? There's a growing subculture of insomnia- and anxiety-plagued people who find solace in these kinds of repetitive sounds, a relaxation phenomenon known as autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). (This magical GIF can also help reduce anxiety, stat.)

Yes. Mostly cognitive for me as well. I’ve experienced it hundreds of times while watching movies during particularly tender, deeply emotional, or intellectually stimulating scenes when the actors/narrators speak thoughts that resonate with me. I have also experienced this at church when someone reads scripture or teaches on a subject that suddenly triggers an “aha moment” for me; a feeling of revelation and connection to what I perceive is the spirit of God. Your comment was made a year ago, but I hope you read my response.

I first encountered ASMR, as do most people, as a child. I never knew exactly what it was. I experienced it when certain teachers spoke, during certain TV shows and at the dentist. I didn’t understand the sensation but enjoyed it, and would try and stay very calm and relaxed every time it happened to try and lengthen my experience of it. You can read the full story of how I found ASMR in this post.
wow. I never knew what that feeling was called until now. I’ve kept it to myself all of these years because I was never sure how to talk about it. I discovered mine in kindergarten when a girl traced her finger along a page. I can experience ASMR pretty much whenever I want now. for me, it’s a combination of sound and motion. for some reason, an Indian accent triggers it very easily. it’s an amazing feeling. I’m curious, does anyone know if there are any health pros or cons with ASMR? have any studies been done?
I cannot believe that I just found out about ASMR shivers! I never knew other people experienced this or that it even had a name. I thought it was just something that happened to me when I watched people draw (esp on my arm like as in high school) or some yoga instructors voice would make me feel that way. Also I also watch this one Seinfeld clip on youtube over and over because it would make me feel relaxed and almost in a trance. And I thought it was strange so never told anyone and then I saw someone's comment that they got ASMR shivers from the clip and BAM came upon this site. This is crazy!

The ASMR Research & Support organization—which is trying to kick-start scientific research on the phenomenon—puts sensation seekers into two categories: Type A is relaxed by their own thoughts, like meditation. The more common Type B relies on something external to stimulate their euphoria, like listening to a pen scratch paper or a whispering voice (the latter is so common that ASMR is sometimes called whisper therapy).

From the tongue-clicks of Janelle Monae’s ‘Make Me To Feel’ to the crunchy bite of an apple that punctuates Superorganism’s ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D’ (surely the quintessential ASMR song?), via actual Macca munching carrots on The Beach Boys’ ‘Vegetables’ and the general click-fest that is the Soulwax remix of Metronomy’s ‘Love Letters’, step this way to ASMR nirvana.

Some of the biggest ASMR artists on YouTube—like Gentle Whispering ASMR and Gibi ASMR—have racked up millions of subscribers, with millions of views for some of their videos. These creators are triggering the ASMR experience in countless ways. Sometimes, it's as simple as tapping their fingernails next to their microphone or whispering gently to their camera. Other times, they're roleplaying everyday situations and making them feel far more intimate; for example, a stylist taking your measurements for clothes or a doctor giving you a check-up.

Then begins the whispering voice of an English girl named WhisperingLife and with it the very first Whisper video. Since this time the feeling brought on by the whispering has been given its name as ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) and Whisperers have been named ASMRtists. Other terms are Sleep Whisperer, Whisper Therapist or just ASMR Content Creator. By now there are so many more content creators, very likely in the hundreds. There is a style, sound and personality for everyone.

I don’t know if I have the asmr described here, but I find myself getting something like ‘warm chills’ along my back and head. They often happen when I relax myself or feel apprehensive. Examples are; during wreck it Ralph when Ralph was falling towards the mentos on coke bottle mountain. I was getting Butt tons of these. Or maybe when I am sort of tense and its a cold day, I move around a little and feel some tingles. I get these tingles whenever I expect something sort of intense to happen; explosions, a crushing impact, the defeat of a character I love. But only when I expect it, never during.
I’m so glad this has a name and there are more people out there with it!! I thought it was only me haha. Also this weird thing happens to me where in real life and on tv or whatever, when I see someone who I find fairly attractive starts comforting another person and trying to help them with something I get this weird tingly and bubbly feeling in my stomach and in my brain. I know the stomach region isn’t typically classified as being affected by asmr but I don’t know what else to classify that feeling I get. It’s weird.
So far there have been two scientific studies successfully published, both by researchers based in the UK. The first from Swansea University was published on PeerJ March 26th 2015 entitled ‘Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) – A flow like mental state’ which concluded ‘We have provided the first investigation into the phenomenon of autonomic sensory meridian response (ASMR). ASMR can be induced, in those who are susceptible, by a fairly consistent set of triggers. Given the reported benefits of ASMR in improving mood and pain symptoms, we suggest that ASMR warrants further investigation as a potential therapeutic measure similar to that of meditation and mindfulness’
The contemporary history of ASMR began on 19 October 2007 on a discussion forum for health-related subjects at a website called Steady Health.[22] A 21-year-old registered user with the handle "okaywhatever" submitted a post describing having experienced a specific sensation since childhood, comparable to that stimulated by tracing fingers along the skin, yet often triggered by seemingly random and unrelated non-haptic events, such as "watching a puppet show" or "being read a story".[23]